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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24320191">Anthony Farr/Jacob Durfree ficlet collection</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladydoor/pseuds/ladydoor'>ladydoor</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Whyborne and Griffin - Jordan L. Hawk</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Anthony will put the end to it, Arguing, Bickering, Bullying, Colleagues to Lovers, Cooking, Domestic Bliss, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Ficlet Collection, First Kiss, First Meetings, Fluff and Angst, Implied/Referenced Sex, Kissing, Love Confessions, M/M, Museums, Opposites Attract, Protective Anthony Farr, Sarcasm, Secret Relationship, fluff mostly, hint of D/s</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 04:48:06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,648</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24320191</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladydoor/pseuds/ladydoor</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>This poor OTP has only one fic on the entire AO3 (this one: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11193102 and it's brilliant, go and read it NOW). So I had to do something about that. Here are some snippets from their relationship from the very beginning. Hope you enjoy it, you two or three people actually shipping them :))</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Jacob Durfree/Anthony Farr</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>19</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Anthony Farr/Jacob Durfree ficlet collection</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em> Knock knock!  </em>
</p><p>Jacob groaned. What<em> now</em>? He hid in his small office from the constant pushing and mocking from his coworkers and hoped for a moment of peace. They weren’t mean, not really (except for Bradley, that was a bully) but he was the youngest from the Ladysmith staff and they threw tasks nobody else wanted to do at him and pranked him, expecting him to laugh with them at his own expense. Sometimes it was too much. </p><p>The director didn’t wait for an answer, threw the door open and walked in, with another man behind him. </p><p>“Ah, Durfree, you are here, good. Allow me to introduce a new addition to our staff. He will be sharing the office with you as his tasks are similar to yours. At least when you get to actually performing them,” the director eyed meaningfully the mess Jacob was buried in. “This is Anthony Farr, your new colleague. Mr Farr is a few years your senior and more experienced too so you will benefit from his guidance. Gentlemen, I have to go. I hope you will cooperate well.” He turned in the doorway. “Durfree, make some space for the man, will you?”</p><p>And with that, he was gone.</p><p>“What?” Jacob asked the empty air. Farr was eyeing him with something akin to amusement. He outstretched his hand. Jacob stood up and shook it awkwardly.</p><p>“Pleasure to meet you,” Farr said and smiled. Jacob now actually<em> looked </em>at him and his breath caught. </p><p>The man wasn’t strikingly handsome but there was something in him that Jacob immediately liked. He was<em> solid</em>. A bit taller than Jacob, his posture was straight, his gaze frank and unwavering and his handshake firm. He seemed neat and collected, very unlike the mess Jacob was. </p><p>Farr raised an eyebrow at him and Jacob realized he hadn’t answered.</p><p>“Uhm… you too,” he said quickly. He looked around and Farr followed his gaze. The office was absolutely cramped. There were two desks, one for Jacob was covered with papers and small artefacts but the second was<em> littered </em>with them. The bookshelves were crammed with books haphazardly sticking out in precarious angles. The windowsill and the corners of the room were stacked with paraphernalia. He couldn’t imagine how two people would fit in here.</p><p>“I guess I should clean the desk for you,” Jacob said, resigned. </p><p>“That would do,” Farr agreed. “And some bookshelves if you will. I don’t need much space otherwise. You can keep your knick-knacks here.”</p><p>“I beg your pardon!” Jacob exclaimed. “These are artefacts I’m working on!”</p><p>“Do you now?” Farr smirked and ran a finger over a small statue on the windowsill, making a deep groove in the thick layer of dust.</p><p>Jacob huffed. He absolutely would have worked on them if his colleagues hadn’t pestered him with other tasks. </p><p> </p><p>*</p><p> </p><p>“Do you really need to have here the second edition of this book if you have also the third and they are practically identical?” Farr asked from the depth of the bookshelf he was reorganizing. </p><p>Jacob sat at his desk and watched in dismay as the neatness of Farr’s end of the office spread slowly to his. The man was indeed neat and insisted on organizing everything. Jacob wouldn’t mind if he didn’t have to do the organizing himself, but his assistance was required and snarky comments were given. </p><p>“No,” he said grumpily and Farr tossed the book aside.</p><p>“As I thought. And what about these old university papers? They don’t seem to be relevant,” he leafed through them, “or particularly good.”</p><p>“I wrote those!”</p><p>“Precisely,” Farr said dryly and tossed them away as well.</p><p><em> Arse</em>.</p><p>But what an arse to look at! Farr was on his knees, shifting as he dived into the depths of the bottom shelves, so the fabric of his trousers was stretched over his buttocks and thighs, showing everything to Jacob’s gaze and he couldn’t look away, to the point that Farr almost caught him staring. <em> Damn</em>.</p><p> </p><p>*</p><p> </p><p>Bradley towered over Jacob’s desk with a stack of paper and with “I need these sorted today” attempted to drop it on the desk when Farr came in. </p><p>“I do not think so,” Farr said sweetly. “Mr Durfree is busy with my tasks and I don’t think he is competent enough to handle both. Therefore I must ask you to take them elsewhere. Good day to you.”</p><p>He manoeuvred speechless Bradley out of the door and closed it firmly behind him. Jacob stared at him with an open mouth and didn’t know whether to feel relieved or angry.</p><p>“What? I don’t have any tasks from you? And did you just tell Bradley to-”</p><p>“To piss off? Yes. I despise that one. Nasty piece of work,” Farr sneered. </p><p>“But…”</p><p>“Look here, Durfree,” Farr leaned over his desk for emphasis. “They do to you only what you allow them to do. That you are the youngest here doesn’t mean you have to let them jeopardize your work.”</p><p>Jacob dropped his gaze, embarrassed by his lack of confidence.</p><p>Farr coughed. “And… Jacob…”</p><p>Jacob looked up sharply at Farr using his first name. “What?”</p><p>The man looked unsure for a moment. “I don’t believe you are incompetent. I told him that because… I just think it would be better if they thought we don’t like each other.”</p><p>Jacob frowned. “Why?”</p><p>Farr - Anthony - shrugged. “Just in case,” he said, sat down and began to measure and describe the newest addition to his collection. Jacob knew he wouldn’t get any more from him. </p><p> </p><p>*</p><p> </p><p>“Achoo!!” Jacob sneezed violently.</p><p>“Quite,” Anthony regarded the dust-covered shelves of the storage room. “This is even worse than your office was and that is something.”</p><p>“Let’s find it and leave,” Jacob said and moved the ladder. “I will search the top and you the bottom shelves. </p><p>“If you say so,” Anthony murmured and squatted down to examine the dusty items.</p><p>They were trying to locate a vase which, according to the old records, should be somewhere in here and which would add perfectly to the exhibition they were preparing. Well, Jacob thought it would. Anthony disagreed and voiced his objections whenever he could. He seemed intent on building their quarrelsome reputation and Jacob still wasn’t sure why.</p><p>“Got it!” Jacob exclaimed and began to pull the vase from the shelf. It was stuck and he couldn’t move it properly. Frustrated, he decided to give one last pull before calling for help. The vase shot from the shelf and Jacob toppled backwards with it.</p><p>Anthony straightened up just in time to catch Jacob as he fell from the ladder and they ended up sprawling on the dirty floor. The impact knocked the vase out of Jacob’s hands and it shattered against the tiles. </p><p>“Blast!” he exclaimed but couldn’t bring himself to care much because his brain was occupied with the fact that Anthony was holding him in his arms. He counted seconds before Anthony realizes it as well and lets go of him but it didn’t happen.</p><p>“Well,” Anthony said thoughtfully, eyeing the shards of china on the floor, “that’s one problem solved.”</p><p>“And another caused. But that’s my fault,” Jacob said dejectedly. </p><p>Anthony’s grip around his waist tightened.  “Says who? We found the vase in shards. It must have been broken by the prolonged pressure of that shelf.”</p><p>Jacob turned his head to look at him. “That’s a fraud!”</p><p>Anthony seemed unperturbed. </p><p>“Is it? Who is it going to hurt? Besides,” he moved his head closer to Jacob’s, “it isn’t the only illegal thing I plan to do right now.”</p><p>“It isn’t?” Jacob attempted to say but it came out as a wheeze. He could feel Anthony’s body warm against his and the hand around his waist as a steadying presence but he felt like he was floating, weightless.</p><p>“No,” Anthony murmured and kissed him. </p><p>The world around Jacob shattered like that blasted vase and reassembled anew as Anthony’s lips and tongue moved against his, forbidden and glorious. A whimper escaped him.</p><p>“Shhh,” Anthony whispered. “I think there is nobody in the basement but you never know.” </p><p>He kissed the top of Jacob’s nose. </p><p>“Do you understand now?” he smiled a little uncertainly.</p><p>“You knew this would happen,” Jacob realized. “That’s what all that arguing is for, as a cover.”</p><p>“I didn’t know,” Anthony corrected him. “I hoped.”</p><p> </p><p>*</p><p> </p><p>“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” Jacob kept this voice low as they lunched together in a small café behind the museum. </p><p>Anthony smirked. “I’m thinking about getting my hands on you, so, possibly?”</p><p>“Anthony! Not here!” Jacob could almost feel his blood moving south but he had still enough of it left to blush.</p><p>“Alright, what are you thinking about?”</p><p>“Dr Whyborne. Do you think he is one of… <em> us </em>?” The new addition to Ladysmith staff puzzled him.</p><p>“You mean us, museum workers? He certainly is,” Anthony said and almost laughed at Jacob’s expression.</p><p>“Stop it!” Jacob fumed. “You know what I mean.”</p><p>“I do,” Anthony conceded. “And I’d say yes but I can’t be sure. That one is terribly shy, it’s hard to read him. He is certainly oblivious the secretary is staring at him as if he was a god. But…” he twirled the fork between his fingers, “I think he is so full of his misery that it makes him selfish.”</p><p>Jacob frowned. “What do you mean?” </p><p>“When you are unhappy, the only thing you can think about is that you are unhappy. You don’t have the energy for others’ problems. You don’t see them. So he is going around hurting people and he doesn’t know it. I tried talking to him, you know, offered to take him to lunch from that horrible basement office the director gave him. It was as if I offered to poison him. He looked horrified, mumbled something and practically ran for his life,” Anthony shook his head, half in amusement and half in dismay.</p><p>Jacob stared at him. He knew his lover was perceptive but it still surprised him sometimes how much Anthony saw through other people. He covered it with a brusque and sarcastic demeanour but sometimes it shone through and it made Jacob happy.</p><p>“What?” Anthony asked and he couldn’t possibly say that in a greasy café over half-eaten fish, could he? Oh, sod it.</p><p>“I love you,” Jacob whispered.</p><p> </p><p>*</p><p> </p><p>“What horrible crime I committed that I deserve working with such a- you know what, I’d try to insult you, but I cannot surpass what nature has already done!” Anthony bellowed at the top of his lungs.</p><p>“If you actually listened to me, this wouldn’t have happened!” Jacob shouted happily back over the row of glass showcases. “But no, your Majesty is so full of yourself that you don’t hear others over it!”</p><p>He enjoyed these rows immensely because, in their private relationship, Anthony was the one holding the reins, to their mutual benefit, but this allowed him to let out some steam. And if he was particularly inventive with his insults, Anthony would growl into his ear when they were alone: “A fopdoodle? Really? We will certainly discuss it later,” sending shivers of anticipation through his body.</p><p>They had perfected their rows to the state of the art. Regulars at the museum were getting used to them but Dr Whyborne, who stood on the other side of the room discussing placement of some Egyptian fragments with Dr Putnam, jumped at the shouting and looked at them wide-eyed. Dr Putnam placed her hand on his elbow and said something and he turned back but he was still visibly flinching as they continued to send each other to the devil with gusto. </p><p> </p><p>*</p><p> </p><p>Jacob wrapped his arms around Anthony’s waist and watched his lover, in charge of breakfast that Saturday, deftly cutting the vegetables. Bacon was already sizzling in the pan. He nosed the crook of Anthony’s neck.</p><p>“Smells good.”</p><p>“Yes, the bacon is fresh from the butcher.”</p><p>“Bacon smells good too,” Jacob mumbled against Anthony’s skin and felt his lover huff a laugh.</p><p>“You are so lucky you are already spoken for because your wooing technique is atrocious. And I must be barmy to put up with you,” Anthony said fondly and tossed the vegetables in the frying pan. “Why don’t you make yourself useful?”</p><p>“I made coffee,” Jacob protested. “And I’m warming your back.”</p><p>“Because a kitchen with a working stove in the middle of August is so cold,” Anthony quipped, turned in Jacob’s arms, grabbed the back of his head and kissed him. </p><p>“Will I ever get enough of you?” Anthony murmured when they parted for air.</p><p>“I hope not. Also, the bacon is burning.”</p><p>“Blast!”</p><p> </p><p>*</p><p> </p><p>“You were staring,” Anthony taunted in the safety of their office.</p><p>“I wasn’t! <em> You </em>were staring! In fact, you were almost salivating, like a dog at a juicy bone.”</p><p>“Excuse me?! Look at me and say that again, <em> I dare you </em>!”</p><p>In fact, they were both staring. Because the detective that arrived at the Ladysmith that morning meeting was worth staring at. His good looks were enhanced by his dashing clothes, the bright vest and tie accentuating his sparkling green eyes. </p><p>And they were both silently amused by how quickly the detective reduced Dr Whyborne into a babbling fumbling mess. Whyborne’s level of messy and shy was high enough in normal circumstances but the show he made of himself that morning was something special. They also caught the appreciative glances the detective was giving the taller man as the two left the room. They looked at each other across the desk with a conspiratorial wink, covered by a heated argument over the upcoming exhibition. </p><p> </p><p>*</p><p> </p><p>“Looks our Whyborne finally found a sweetheart,” Anthony chuckled when he came to their office.</p><p>Jacob almost dropped the item he was measuring. “What? You mean the detective? In that case, he is more capable than we thought because Whyborne wouldn’t recognize someone is interested even if they kissed him in the middle of the museum.”</p><p>“Well…” Anthony drawled. “I just met them walking out of Whyborne’s office and I know a freshly sucked man when I see one.”</p><p>His eyes were dark and his voice dropped low. Jacob’s cheeks flamed. Anthony locked the door and came closer, whispering into Jacob’s ear, making him shiver. </p><p>“Although it would help to compare specimens if you are willing to cooperate...” Anthony bit his earlobe.</p><p>Jacob yelped. “Here?!”</p><p>“Mmh… While the sight is fresh in my memory,” Anthony dropped to his knees.</p><p> </p><p>*</p><p> </p><p>Jacob slumped back on the bench. It was a relief to hear that Mr Flaherty and Dr Whyborne believed him but his thought focused only on Anthony. What had he done? He must have terrified and hurt his lover. What if Anthony couldn’t forgive him? And could he forgive himself? Did it matter that it wasn’t him? He almost killed his beloved. </p><p>The two left him to talk to Detective Tilton and Jacob was alone with his whirling thoughts again. </p><p>Tilton returned to tell him that Dr Whyborne stood for the bail for him and he was out of custody. Jacob followed him, utterly lost. He didn’t know what to do. He wanted to see Anthony but was afraid that he wouldn’t want to talk to him.</p><p>They entered the main office and Jacob immediately spotted Anthony in conversation with Mr Flaherty and Dr Whyborne. He was distraught, rubbing his hands together as if he didn’t know what to do with them. </p><p>Jacob made a step forward.</p><p>“Anthony?” he called anxiously. </p><p>His lover looked at him with relief clearly written over his features. He parted with the men and strode over the office to Jacob and while his mouth exclaimed “Blast it, man, you put a hole in the only known portrait of Theron Blacbyrne!” his eyes enveloped Jacob in a hug he couldn’t give him there.</p><p>They were alright. Whatever had happened, they were alright.</p>
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